Visiting Mr. Allen

 

Mel Allen was and will always be "The Voice of the Yankees."

He was the first to have the title, "The Voice," attached to him. The title could basically be retired with him.

An institution in sports broadcasting beginning in 1939, Mel lived a life that took him from his native Alabama to New York where he became arguably the most famous sports voice ever. He, Red Barber, Bill Stern, Ted Husing, and Graham McNamee were the dominant names in the earliest days of the business.

Mel died in Greenwich in 1996 and is buried in Stamford, almost in the shadow of Westhill High School.

I'd driven by the cemetery many times. I'd call games basically within a mile of the legendary man's grave.

I didn't know until only a few years ago.

I've been planning to find the right time to visit his grave and with the countdown rolling towards the opening the Renegades season, I felt like today was perfect.

Upon arriving at the cemetery, I found that the gate into the grounds was closed. Temple Beth-El synagogue was close by and a small gate connected to it by walking across a driveway.

Something felt wrong about that but I still made my way through the gate.

Fortunately, the cemetery wasn't big because I was literally armed with a section number.

B6.

I had no other directions.

I was able to find section markers that were small and metal. I found the D section but then I saw A. 

It took a few minutes on a slightly overcast, chilly Connecticut morning, but I found the family plot near the back corner of the cemetery.

It's marked "Israel-Allen" because Mel's was born Melvin Israel on Feb 14, 1913. Mel took his father's middle name as his on-air name at the urging of CBS when he was hired in 1937. Allen was a smart man who passed the bar exam at the University of Alabama.

Thus his father wasn't pleased, thinking Mel was wasting his education to become a broadcaster. But Mel was where he belonged. By June, 1939, Allen was a part of the broadcasts of all three New York teams. Mel was on the field for Lou Gehrig Day that July.

As the disease that took his life worsened, Gehrig told Allen, “Mel, I never got a chance to listen to your games before because I was playing every day. But I want you to know they’re the only thing that keeps me going.” 

The words left Allen in tears.

Mel's grave marker in Stamford is small and simple. There are no ornate markings. No mention of his famous phrase: "How About That?"

No mention of the Yankees or "The Week in Baseball."

Just this:

MEL ALLEN

BELOVED SON

BROTHER -- UNCLE

1913 -- 1996

I looked down at the headstone. With the goal of finding Mr. Allen's grave achieved, I felt like there was only one thing to do since it's what we have in common.

We talk. So I spoke.

"I'll try to not embarrass you, Mr. Allen," I said. "I'll take the things I learned from you and Mr. (Red) Barber and Mr. Scully and honor the profession.

"Since I'm joining the Yankees broadcasting family in a distant way, I just wanted to visit you. Thank you, sir."

And I walked away.

The Mel Allen I got to hear in the 70s and 80s was not quite the same as he was as a play-by-play announcer in his glory years up until 1964. He was the avuncular voice of "The Week in Baseball" by the end of the 70s. He was the play-by-play announcer for Old Timer's Day at Yankee Stadium and, eventually, returned to calling some games on SportsChannel.

Broadcasting was his life. He kind of waded through life after the Yankees didn't renew his contract following the '64 season. He tried calling some games through the balance of the 60s. But until he returned to The Bronx for Mickey Mantle day -- June 8, 1969 -- most said he felt adrift.

Mel never married. He was "The Voice of the Yankees." This piece on Sabr.org from Warren Corbett does a nice job of encapsulating Mel's bio.

I met him once in the flesh, at the very first Yankees Fan Fest in 1991. I still remember him telling me it was nice to meet me. 

Nah. It was an honor to meet you, sir. 

I won't screw this thing up. It's too important to me.

But in the same way that I want to honor the previous voices in Renegades history, and am trying to connect with the broadcasters in the High A East (or whatever our league will be called) I also wish to remember and educate people on the Yankees announcers.

Mel was second, in truth, following Arch McDonald in that 1939 season. However, no audio exists of McDonald on Yankees broadcasts (at least none that I've ever heard).

But there's plenty of Mel on plenty of games and shows.

"Hello there, everybody," he'd say, as he'd open the broadcast to tell us another "Ballantine Blast" was "Going, going, it is gone!"

He's still the best announcer in Yankees history. He's still among the finest overall sports broadcasters ever, probably top 10 at worst. Among baseball announcers, he sits in my top three.

No, Mr. Allen, it was nice to meet you.

It was nice to honor you by visiting your grave today.

Thirty-two days until the Gades open on the road. Thirty-nine until the home opener.

(You probably know the final line but I'm still going to say it)

"How about that?"